The White Serpent: Avocado's Journalfen Journal

Not really big enough to post on one of the communities

2008-07-08T23:28:13Z

If I did, it would probably just turn into "deep thoughts on academia," anyway. (I can tell this, because I'm inclined to post my own deep thoughts, and that's just never a good sign.) The thread is locked, so it won't grow.

But consider the highly concentrated idiocy.

(off of wank_report)

I'm going to try to go back to putting things on the wiki.

2008-06-14T00:10:33Z

On my list:

Kittenmommy implosion

That recent Bandflesh wank with the rainbow troll

Expanding the Lexicon article (since I asked Jim not to do a separate article for each wank report, I figure I've forced myself to work on it now)

The thing with the terrifying Cale doll D:

Questionable:

Since the "You will also be in the suing" thing always gets asked about, I put it in its own category on OTF_wank. Does the wiki also need something about it?

The LJAB election - it was on F_L, CW (twice), and F_W, but it was never actually particularly funny. Worth adding?

Anything else I'm missing?

This will go well.

2008-06-09T22:34:01Z

Oh, yes. I foresee no problems at all.

LKH, from wank_report

2008-06-05T05:08:46Z

LKH on Art, Death, and Comedy

Oh, yes. She was a big fan of the arresting artwork of Jason Pollock.

Huge.

~~I'm really curious who died, mind you, because Jackson Pollock died in 1956.~~

I realize I'm being bitchy

2008-06-01T22:43:07Z

But since when is f_w a good place to launch into a detailed discussion of how one ought to make decisions?

I give up on rubedo, and probably shouldn't have even bothered trying to explain why she ought to shut up, since she'd consistently demonstrated cluelessness throughout the thread.

On the death threats, I assume both LMM and Jameth received them, since they seem to be so common in large internet disagreements. The more people involved, the more likely it is that someone will act like a complete asshole.

A note to the ED folks.

2008-05-31T19:29:47Z

Here, because where the hell else am I going to put it?

I'm only bothering to respond because I see the helpful little troll that linked to f_w in the news post named itself "white_mindset", and forgive me if I see that as targeted.

I said early on in the election process that I had nothing against ED, nothing against Jameth, and nothing against LJ Drama. This remains true. (I do, however, dislike what I've seen of rfjason.) Tfo was helpful on the f_w wiki, and he's welcome to keep editing as far as I'm concerned (though he's an ED mod, so I completely understand if he doesn't).

I did consider the invitation to edit the ED article simply because Tfo was helpful. (Though, you know, I'd have been more likely to do it if I were asked directly and if I knew who was doing the asking.)

If I get around to working on articles, I'm probably going to write them on the f_w wiki. No insult, just the way it is. I was also definitely not going to do any article writing in the midst of the election, because I was not interested in influencing the outcome. In general, FW doesn't care enough to influence the outcome-- which is probably why no one bothered running. So, sure, I think Aja's wanky and kind of ridiculous, but I'm not going to deliberately sabotage her.

I didn't vote for LMM in any of my three slots, and I didn't vote for Jameth, either. I voted for vichan (and, for the record, for qfemale-- she was scrappy!-- and for squeaky-- I knew those two votes wouldn't count). I told vichan that I had voted for her before the election closed. I think it was a crying shame that fandom_votes solidified behind LMM, because I liked what vichan said, and I liked her more and more as the election progressed.

I have no socks, and I have no RPing accounts. Even if I had them, I wouldn't have used them for voting.

As for Jameth: I said (and I think) that an association with LJD and ED and the potential resulting familiarity with law and how it's abused to suppress unwanted speech could make Jameth a very good candidate. I remain particularly concerned about the way DMCA notices are used by LJ. But. Jameth's campaign downplayed his involvement with both to the point that it didn't mean much. (Not that I believed it, but still.)

And then there was that post about the Snape/Harry noncon stuff.

Oh, sure, he was just quoting and raising the hard issues! Right. It was smear. You know why it was smear? I can't turn up Snape/Harry noncon on a Google search of LMM unless it was written by someone else on a site she also happens to use. I can't find it on Skyhawke. If it's in the locked community she's a member of, then it sure as fuck isn't going to turn up on a Google search, is it?

I don't like Snape/Harry. I've been pretty damned clear about that many times over the past six years. But you know what? I know a lot of people who write it. If he's running on a campaign of free speech, then he'd better fucking understand that that is "free speech," too. Posting that comment and refusing to take a stand saying that it was okay with him as "legal speech he didn't happen to like" undercut the entirety of his campaign platform. vichan told him that, and so did spare_change. And bringing in what media response to it might be? Oh, please. Even Aja didn't say, "Media response to someone affiliated with ED would be bad, so we shouldn't vote for him." Following that up with posting vichan's emails showed an utter lack of respect for her.

That, right there, almost certainly cost him the election.

As for the election, I still don't understand what the point was. Jameth's campaign was two-pronged: he was the best qualified for the job; LJ didn't take it seriously anyway and neither did he!

Pick one. Because the one impression I got was that the election was really fucking important, but I don't know why. And seeing that makes me suspicious.

Seeing that LJ Drama's been recently stripped out of Wayback doesn't help my suspicious nature when people affiliated with it are running around saying, "But you can't prove Jameth was ever involved!" I've run into that before-- "I'm going to delete what I said and then threaten to sue you for LIBEL for saying that I ever said it." And when I've actually invested in an attorney to deal with that before? Sorry, but it's not something I see as supportive of free speech.

I did laugh at a lot of the posts, and I found a lot of people (girlvinyl, for example) pretty entertaining. So I still don't dislike LJD, and I still have nothing against ED. I still have nothing against you. But that's not the same as voting for Jameth.

Yes, I screen anons, but if you want to respond, go ahead. To date, I've only ever used that to get rid of spambots. I don't see why their ad campaign ought to be visible to the masses while I get around to deleting it.

Not getting comment notifications again.

2008-05-21T23:03:00Z

Anyone else?

white_serpent @ 2008-05-17T01:00:00

2008-05-17T08:02:21Z

I didn't think it would work. He's too much of an idiot.

The trolls are becoming a regular fixture, though. The comments on Starblade's posts doubled or tripled after I posted the wank, which did not make me happy.

Wiki.

2008-05-13T23:12:29Z

Oddly, the changes to turn it green, yellow, and white work when I test them, but not when I apply them to Monobook.css.

This will require more experimentation.

Fortunately, I have a few hours.

ETA: Ah; there we go. Lovely. I'll revert it on Thursday.

white_serpent @ 2008-03-26T21:30:00

2008-03-27T04:31:21Z

It's snowing. It's the end of March, and it's snowing.

I can't believe it's snowing. D:

I'm going to be trapped here tomorrow, aren't I? I hate that.

Okay, I'm not really laughing so hard I can hardly breathe...

2008-03-20T01:33:16Z

But give me time.

Seriously, the latest LJ outrage!!1!!11 is killing me.

We must protect future users from the horrors of advertising!

How dare they censor the interests! I'm outraged! [They put them back.] I'm still outraged! (Seeing as I removed all of my interests during the last LJ interest idiocy, my sole interest at this point is "not listing interests." I don't particularly care who shares it.)

OMG, SUP hired a prostitute to try to blackmail Brad. Or maybe to sweeten the deal. Or maybe there wasn't a prostitute at all, but, still! It's just like something they'd do.

Now, the interview in Russian: translation 1 translation 2 Is translation 1 overly inflammatory? Who cares? Time for more outrage at the sudden realization that, in either translation, SUP really doesn't care much about the user base! But, really, we're all incompetent after the fact mourners -- thanks for the link, kill_the_spare.

Also (my personal favorite): SUP should have known that everyone would plug the interview into babelfish/google translations, get a bad translation, and get outraged about it! (Quite possibly true, but what's the solution? Sounds like this is a cry to "do things without ever saying anything about them lest they be misinterpreted," and isn't that the primary problem, here?)

It just wouldn't be a LJ protest without ataniell93 bringing up the colossal importance of her 300 RP journals, now would it?

I'm sure I will boycott LJ on Friday, just like I do almost every other day of the year. I don't really think that the interest filtering was a mistake, and I don't like ads (which, BTW, means I'm not going to InsaneJournal, either). I'm not entirely unsympathetic, but I have to say-- if you're really outraged, you're a lot more convincing if you pick up and leave and stay gone.

Ah, dog shows...

2008-02-13T06:16:16Z

I am suddenly reminded of the glorious Shiloh Shepherd^TM club split. (I was linked to this many years ago by someone who thought that the Shiloh Shepherd^TM was a shining example of protecting rare breeds from the destruction caused by AKC recognition.)

Anyway, I so desperately wish I had copies of these letters:

Her first article was rejected, forcing her to write a letter to the membership again reiterating the differences between a club and a registry. This in turn caused the ISSDC president to send out his rebuttal and these were followed by long, mostly personal attacks between both parties.

"Best in Show" is a funny movie, but it just doesn't capture the real craziness in purebred dog fandoms.

white_serpent @ 2007-11-09T16:27:00

2007-11-10T01:24:59Z

For the curious, the actual text on the WB timeline (through the end of Year 2), contrasted with the text on the Lexicon's timeline and the text in the books, as well as notes on how the dates of events can be calculated.

For clarity, all year calculations are based on the fact that Halloween in CoS is Nearly Headless Nick's 500th death day party, and he died in 1492.

All bolding is mine. I've removed carriage returns from the official timeline (it was easiest to put this together in Excel, then copy it into an HTML table). I usually replaced linebreaks from the Lexicon's timeline with /, and I tried to clean those up. I may have missed a couple.

Lexicon MT: Information on the Lexicon Master Timeline for the series
Lexicon SS: Information on the Lexicon day calendar for Book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Lexicon CS: Information on the Lexicon day calendar for Book 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Note that I'm pulling these out of the Wayback machine, so that I can compare the DVD timeline text with Lexicon timelines which predate the DVD release. The first timeline appeared on the Chamber of Secrets DVD, which was released in 4/2003. Therefore, the timelines I'm using are from the last Wayback save prior to that DVD release, which is 12/2002. This date is noted by each Lexicon timeline reference.

Books are referenced by similar abbreviations, along with chapter number (e.g., SS1 = Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 1.)

The timeline is taken from the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD; I've done the "History," "Year 1", and "Year 2" timelines.

HISTORY:

Official Timeline	Lexicon timeline and/or day calendar	Text from the book	My comments
Circa 993: HOGWARTS FOUNDED by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw & Salazar Slytherin	Lexicon MT, 12/02: before 993: Hogwarts founded by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin	"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution." (CS9)	The year is taken from 1993 - 1000 years; the text on both timelines matches, but both match Binns' speech in the novel. However, Binns' speech is situated between the attacks on Mrs Norris and Justin F-F, meaning that using 1993- 1000 is actually an error. Justin F-F was attacked on December 18, 1992 according to both timelines. Therefore, the year cited in both timelines should be 992, not 993.
October 31st 1492: Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington dies from near decapitation.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: October 31, 1492: Sir Nicholas deMimsy-Porpington beheaded (nearly)	...an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, died 31st October, 1492 (CS8)	As previously noted, this event is used to set the timelines for all novels.
1941-1942 Schoolyear: Lord Voldemort opens the Chamber of Secrets. Moaning Myrtle killed.	"Lexicon MT, 12/02 has this as 1942-3: September: Tom Riddle Jr. starts his fifth year at Hogwarts He is a prefect; he finally discovers how to open the Chamber of Secrets, and learns to control the Basilisk 1943: a student named Myrtle dies in a second floor bathroom after seeing the Basilisk"	"And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago…" (CS12) "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. ..." (CS13)	The year is taken from Valentine's Day in Chamber of Secrets - 50 years (1993-50=1943), but it should probably use Christmas in Chamber of Secrets - 50 years (1942), suggesting the official timeline is correct.
June 13th 1942: Hagrid expelled. Aragog escapes to the Forbidden Forest.	"Lexicon MT, 12/02: June 13, 1943: Hagrid expelled from Hogwarts after being falsely accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets Aragog the Acromantula is released into the Forest where he establishes a colony of the giant spiders"	"In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who opened the Chamber and he was expelled."(CS13) The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, Harry saw that the little square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned into a miniscule television screen. (CS13)	The date is given directly in the book text; the word "expelled" is used in the book. There are no other notable similarities between the two timelines except the events themselves.
1945: Albus Dumbledore defeats the Dark Wizard Grindelwald.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: 1945: Dumbledore defeats the dark wizard Grindelwald	"'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945...'" (SS13)	The text in both timelines is a paraphrase of the novel text.
July 31st 1980: Harry Potter born to James and Lily Potter	Lexicon MT, 12/02: July 31, 1980: Harry Potter born		This date is twelve years prior to the events in Chamber of Secrets, and Harry's birthdate is stated repeatedly in text and on Rowling's website.
October 31st 1981: After Lord Voldemort kills Lily and James Potter, Hagrid rescues Harry and delivers him to his aunt and uncle on Privet Drive.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: October 31, 1981: Voldemort attempts to kill Harry Potter after murdering his parents, but his spell rebounds onto him. Voldemort, nearly dead and without physical form, retreats into the forests of Albania where he possess the bodies of various animals to survive for the next decade, waiting. Hagrid, on Dumbledore's orders, goes to Godric's Hollow to rescue baby Harry from the ruins of the house.	"Hagrid's bringing him." "You think it -- wise -- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" "I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore. (SS1)	According to SS, Harry is one year old when his parents are murdered on Halloween, thus fixing the date and year. According to full text search, "rescue" is not used in the book in this context, suggesting it may have been copied from the Lexicon and rephrased slightly.

YEAR 1

Official Timeline	Lexicon timeline and/or day calendar	Text from the book	My comments
July 24th-30th: Letters to Harry Potter from Hogwarts arrive at the Dursleys' by the hundreds.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: July 24 - 30, 1991 - letters begin arriving via owl post to invite Harry to Hogwarts.		You can calculate the date by working backward. 1 letter arrives, then another the next day, then 3 letters, then 12 arrive on Friday. The next Tuesday is Harry's birthday, the 31st. This means that the first letter arrived on the 24th.
July 31st: Rubeus Hagrid rescues Harry, on his 11th birthday, from the Dursleys at the Hut-on-the-Rock.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: July 31, just after midnight - Hagrid rescues Harry from the Dursleys and from the Hut on the Rock	Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday -- and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television -- then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -- last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day. (SS3) Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. (SS4)	This phrasing is almost entirely identical, and the use of the key verb "rescues" (which does not appear in the book) is telling. Note that the fact that Harry's birthday explicitly falls on a Tuesday in SS contradicts the fact that July 31st was a Wednesday in 1991.
July 31st: Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies for Hogwarts. After Harry withdraws money from Gringotts, he purchases his work robes, course books, cauldron, phials and a wand.	Lexicon SS, 12/02: Harry's 11th birthday Hagrid gives Harry his letter from Hogwarts Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley to buy his things for Hogwarts Lexicon MT, 12/02: Harry and Hagrid visit Diagon Alley Hagrid retrieves the Philosopher's Stone from the Gringotts' high security vaults. Harry meets Draco Malfoy for the first time in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Hagrid buys Hedwig for a birthday present for Harry.	"Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." (SS5) "Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley." (SS5)	The word "take" is not used in the book in describing Hagrid and Harry going to Diagon Alley. These actions are explicitly placed on Harry's birthday in the book.
September 1st: Harry Potter catches the Hogwarts Express from Platform 93/4 at Kings Cross. On board, Harry befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The Sorting Hat places Harry, Hermione and Ron into Gryffindor House.	Lexicon SS, 12/02: Harry travels to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express Harry sorted into Gryffindor Dudley in London having his tail removed Lexicon MT, 12/02: Sunday, September 1st: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy start their first year at Hogwarts They catch the Hogwarts Express at 11 am at King's Cross Station, then travel until evening to Hogwarts. Harry meets Ron and Hermione on the train. Ron becomes his friend.	"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, he said. "First o' September -- King's Cross -- it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me.... See yeh soon, Harry." (SS5)	This date is explicitly stated in McGonagall's letter to Harry. The WB timeline is inaccurate; Harry does not befriend Hermione at this point in the book. The word "catch" is not used in this book for the train, but does use it in Chamber of Secrets (Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year.(CS4)). The official timeline has a typographical error (omitted apostrophe in King's Cross) which does not appear on the Lexicon.
September 7th: Harry has tea with Hagrid in his hut near the Forbidden Forest.	Lexicon SS, 12/02: September 7: morning: double potions wth Slytherins (first class)/afternoon off, tea with Hagrid at 3 [NB: in later versions of the Lexicon day calendar, this was changed to September 6]	Dear Harry, I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. Hagrid Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again. It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far. (SS8)	This event occurs in the afternoon of the first Friday after the start of term. According to a 1991 calendar, that should make it September 6. This is the "date error" alleged by SVA and RDR. However, as previously noted, the book calendar does not conform exactly to the 1991 calendar. If it is shifted back by a day to allow for Harry's birthday (July 31) to occur on a Tuesday, September 7 is the first Friday after the start of term. Therefore, this date "error" can only be significant in combination with other information.
HALLOWEEN October 31st: The Halloween Feast is interrupted by a Mountain Troll who nearly kills Hermione, but is defeated by Harry and Ron.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Halloween Feast/The feast is interrupted by a Mountain Troll which almost kills Hermione Granger; she is saved by Harry and Ron, after which they become friends	"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived." (SS10)	The use of "interrupted" and "nearly kills" is very close to the Lexicon's "interrupted" and "almost kills." Neither phrase appears in the book text. This event is specifically indicated to have taken place on Halloween.
November 9th: Gryffindor beats Slytherin in a Quidditch match when Harry catches the Golden Snitch in his mouth.	Lexicon SS, 12/02: November 9: Quidditch: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, 11am Gryffindor wins when Harry catches the Snitch in his mouth Snape counters Quirrell's jinxes and saves Harry's life	The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. (SS11) Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick -- he hit the field on all fours -- coughed -- and something gold fell into his hand. "I've got the Snitch!"" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.(SS11)	This entry is significant in combination with the information for September 7th. September 7th should be a Friday in a calendar where July 31st is a Tuesday. Unfortunately, in the same calendar, November 9th would also be a Friday. The Quidditch game is explicitly stated to occur on a Saturday in the novel, and is implied to be in November, though no exact date is given. Presumably the Lexicon infers 11/9 because the text indicates that several days (at least) have passed between the defeat of the troll on 10/31 and the first Quidditch match on a Saturday in November (Hermione has been helping Harry with his homework, has lent him a book he's read, and "[has] become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules."(SS11)) This suggests that the Lexicon deduced the date of November 9th from their own calendar. This entry makes the September 7th date error indicative that the information was actually copied from the Lexicon, because it cannot be derived independently by WB using a "shifted" calendar, or the date would be November 10th. The phrasing of both entries is also almost entirely identical.
CHRISTMAS December 25th: Harry receives his father's Invisibility Cloak as a present. He discovers the Mirror of Erised and sees his parents again.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Harry receives his father's Invisibility Cloak as a Christmas present from Dumbledore. Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised and sees his family for the first time. Lexicon SS, 12/02: CHRISTMAS Harry receives his father's Invisibility Cloak for a present Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised	"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!" ... "It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is -- try it on." ... Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. (SS12) He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight.(SS12) "So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." (SS12)	This phrasing is almost entirely identical, with the keywords being "receives","his father's invisibility cloak", "as a present", and "discovers the Mirror of Erised and sees." However, with the exception of "receives," all of these words are duplicated in the book.
June 4th: Harry, Ron and Hermione follow Quirrell through the trapdoor, which leads them to a giant game of Wizard Chess. Ron successfully guides Harry and Hermione through. Harry learns Lord Voldemort lives within Quirrell and seeks the Sorcerer's Stone as his "Elixir of Life" to create a new body.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Harry, Hermione, and Ron follow Quirrell after the Sorcerer's Stone, overcome the various protections, and defeat Quirrell Voldemort's attempt to steal the Stone Lexicon SS, 12/02: exams/last one: History of Magic evening:Harry, Ron, and Hermione follow Quirrell into the trap door after the Stone	Chapter title: THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR, Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter the trap door in this order (SS16)	This date is apparently not given in the text, and would appear to have been deduced by the Lexicon, presumably making the assumption that exams were scheduled to begin on June 1st during this school year, as they would the next year, then adding each explicitly-listed exam day to June 1st.
June 8th: With the addition of 170 extra points, Gryffindor upsets Slytherin in the House Cup.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: End of Term Feast - Gryffindor win House Cup (but not the Quidditch Cup) Lexicon SS, 12/02: Harry released from hospital end-of-year feast at which Gryffindor wins the house cup		Harry has been in the hospital wing for three days, then attends the feast the following day, so this event takes place four days after the previous events.

YEAR 2

Official Timeline	Lexicon timeline and/or day calendar	Text from the book	My comments
July 31st: Harry Potter's 12th Birthday. Dobby, the Malfoys' house-elf, visits Harry at the Dursleys' and warns: "HARRY POTTER MUST NOT GO BACK TO HOGWARTS"	Lexicon MT, 12/02: July 31: Dobby the house elf visits Harry Potter in Privet Drive The Dursleys hold a dinner party for the Masons which is disrupted by a falling violet pudding. Harry is sent a warning letter from the Ministry, reminding him that he is not allowed to do magic outside of school.	"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature. (CS2)	This event takes place on Harry's birthday, assigning it a specific date. The word "visit" is not used in the chapter itself in this context, and the phrasing in the two timelines is nearly identical.
August 3rd: Ron Weasley, with brothers Fred and George, helps Harry escape the Dursleys in a Flying Ford Anglia.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Early August: Ron rescues Harry from the Dursleys in a flying car Lexicon CS, 12/02: August 4th: nine Ministry raids overnight/Harry rescued by flying car	The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Harry's window. He himself fitted a cat- flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Harry out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, he was locked in his room around the clock. Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and Harry couldn't see any way out of his situation. He lay on his bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to him. (CS2)	Bars are put on the window on 8/1, three days later would be 8/4 (or possibly early in the morning of 8/5, since they arrive and have breakfast). The current Lexicon calendar was altered to place this event on 8/3 to match the official timeline, but the original date was probably correct.
August 19th: On his way to Diagon Alley, via Floo Powder from the Weasley's Fireplace, Harry accidentally arrives at Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. Lucius Malfoy slips Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: trip to Diagon Alley Harry accidentally visits Knockturn Alley Lockhart book signing at Flourish & Blotts	Harry heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after he had arrived at the Burrow. He and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table.(CS4) Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday.(CS4) "I realized that," said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made to brush him off again. "I told you, I was lost - what were you doing down there, anyway?" (CS4)	Both phrases use "accidentally." The book does not; it repeatedly uses the word "lost." This event is not explicitly dated in the book, but takes place on the next Wednesday after Harry has been at the burrow around a week. If Harry arrives on the morning of the 5th (a Wednesday in 1992), then the post from Hogwarts arrives around the 12th. This is also a Wednesday, so "the following Wednesday" would be the 19th. Even if Harry's arrival is shifted back a day to Tuesday, "about a week" is not exact, so someone else calculating independently could equally well get August 19th.
September 1st: After missing the Hogwarts Express, Harry and Ron fly the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts, where they crash into the Whomping Willow.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts Express and fly Mr. Weasley's bewitched car to Hogwarts Harry and his friends starts their second year at Hogwarts, Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevy start their first year Lexicon CS, 12/02: trip on the Hogwarts Express barrier closed Ron and Harry travel by flying car to school Ginny Weasley is Sorted into Gryffindor	"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself -" (CS5) "Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them."(CS5) "Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile. Harry, Harry, Harry." (CS6)	substantial similarity between the Lexicon Master Timeline and the official WB timeline, but they're both slight rephrasings of the information in the text. The date is not explicitly given as September 1, but I believe Rowling said in an interview that the Hogwarts Express always left on September 1.
September 2nd: Mrs. Weasley sends Ron a Howler: "IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"	Lexicon CS, 12/02: first day of term/Ron receives a Howler from his mother	The next day, however, Harry barely grinned once.(CS6) "She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly. (CS6)	This is dated as "the next day" after the arrival at school, and is therefore September 2.
September 3rd: Gilderoy Lockhart, Hogwarts' new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, unleashes Cornish Pixies, resulting in pandemonium.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: double herbology transfiguration lunch DADA (Cornish pixies)	But he had no time to dwell on this; Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. Harry took his and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first. (CS6) By the end of the class, Harry, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration. (CS6) Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell.(CS6) "What've we got this afternoon?" said Harry, hastily changing the subject. "Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once. (CS6) "Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies. " (CS6)	This should be the same day that Ron receives the Howler-- September 2. Both the Lexicon and official timeline are in error, which suggests that this information was copied from the Lexicon's timeline.
September 5th: Harry hears the basilisk's voice.	"Lexicon CS 12/02: dawn Quidditch practice Ron's slug attack detentions 8pm-midnight: Ron polishes trophies, Harry answers fan mail Harry hears the basilisk's voice for the first time"	So with one thing and another, Harry was quite glad to reach the weekend. He, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. Harry, however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than he would have liked by Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. (CS7) "That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?" (CS7)	This is Saturday after the first week of classes. In 1992, that is September 5. The phrasings are nearly identical, but are also only slight rearrangements of the information in the book.
September 19th: Hermione's 12th Birthday.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: Hermione's birthday		Note that this is incorrect in the official timeline. Per an interview, this should be Hermione's 13th birthday.
December 10th: Hermione steals bicorn horn and boomslang skin from Snape's office.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: double potions (afternoon) during which Hermione steals potion supplies from Snape's office	In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him. Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Harry privately felt he'd rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than let Snape catch him robbing his office. "What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need." (CS11) "I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so." (CS11)	In 1992, the Thursday in the second week of December is December 10. While the words in both timelines are very similar, the key words also appear in the book text.
December 17th: During a duel with Draco, Harry speaks Parseltongue to a snake.	"Lexicon CS, 12/02: dueling club 8pm, Great Hall blizard begins"	A week later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited. "They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days..."(CS11)	This is stated to be a week after the potions lesson where Hermione steals from Snape. Therefore, it takes place on December 17th.
December 18th: Justin Finch-Fletchley Petrified in 3rd Basilisk attack.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: blizzard covers school last herbology class of term cancelled second rooster killed third attack: Justin Fitch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick petrified trasfiguration	Harry turned over. He'd see Justin the next day in Herbology and he'd explain that he'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which (he thought angrily, pummeling his pillow) any fool should have realized. (CS11) Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Harry had ever seen. (CS11)	This is stated to be "the next day" after the Dueling club. Therefore, it is December 18th.
CHRISTMAS December 25th: A victim of improper transformation, Hermione is partially changed into a cat. Harry and Ron drink the Polyjuice Potion, transforming into Crabbe and Goyle.	Lexicon MT, 12/02:Harry and Ron use Polyjuice Potion to "become" Crabbe and Goyle. They learn that Malfoy is NOT the heir of Slytherin. Hermione is victim of in incomplete transfiguration and goes to the Hospital Wing for the next month Hermione is accidentally changed partially into a cat She spends the next month in the hospital wing	Harry and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening. (CS12) Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair. "It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"(CS12)	The phrase "victim of an improper transformation" is substantially similar to the Lexicon's "victim of in [sic] incomplete transfiguration", and the phrase "Hermione is partially changed into a cat" also appears in both timelines. These descriptions are never used in the book itself. The events are explicitly stated as occurring on Christmas in the text.
May 8th: Hermione is Petrified in 4th Basilisk attack. Curfew instated. Hagrid is sent to Azkaban as a precaution. Dumbledore is removed as Headmaster of Hogwarts.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater are Petrified; Hogwarts Quidditch Cup is cancelled Hagrid is sent to Azkaban; Dumbledore is removed as headmaster of Hogwarts Lexicon CS, 12/02: Quidditch: Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match cancelled fourth attack: Hermione Grnager and Penelope Clearwater petrified Dumbledore removed as headmaster Hagrid taken to Azkaban	However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match he went up to his dormitory to drop off his broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better. (CS14) "Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?" "For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology"/"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.(CS14) "The appointment -or suspension- of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks-" (CS14)	Sentence order is identical; Hagrid "is sent to Azkaban" and Dumbledore "is removed as headmaster of Hogwarts". The book text indicates Hagrid is "taken" to Azkaban; Dumbledore is "suspended." This suggests the text was lifted from the Lexicon's timeline. No date is explicitly given for this attack in the book. However, Chapter 15 indicates that Malfoy is gloating two weeks later, and that, the next day, exams are stated to begin on June 1, which is one week away. That indicates that the attacks took place on a Saturday approximately three weeks prior to June 1. In 1993, this is May 8.
May 29th: Harry, Ron and Lockhart enter the Chamber of Secrets. Harry saves Ginny and defeats the Basilisk with the assistance of Fawkes.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: the spirit-form of Voldemort is defeated by Harry Potter in the Chamber of Secrets/Lexicon CS, 12/02: mandrakes are ready for cutting/Ginny taken into Chamber Harry, Ron, Lockhart enter Chamber at sunset Harry defeats Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets	Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast. ... When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit." (CS16)	This event takes place three days prior to June 1, meaning May 29. The use of "enter" and "defeats" and nearly identical sentence structure is telling. Neither is used in this context in the text.
May 29th: Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey revive Basilisk victims, who are then released from the hospital. Gryffindor wins Hogwarts Cup.	Lexicon CS, 12/02: May 30th: Lucious Malfoy removed as school governor Dobby freed early AM feast all victims un-petrified Hagrid returns 3:30 AM	"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..." (CS16) Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night.(CS18)	These events take place the same day as the fight with the basilisk, or the students would have left. Lucius Malfoy arrives in the evening. All events should fall on May 29th.
May 30th: Dumbledore is reinstated as Headmaster. Dobby is freed when presented with Harry's sock from Lucius Malfoy. Hagrid returns from Azkaban.	Lexicon MT, 12/02: Lucius Malfoy is removed from the Board of Governors of Hogwarts, Hagrid and Dumbledore return to Hogwarts Dobby the House-Elf is freed from service to the Malfoy family Lexicon CS, 12/02: Lucious Malfoy removed as school governor Dobby freed early AM feast all victims un-petrified Hagrid returns 3:30 AM		The official timeline is incorrect, no matter how you slice it. Dobby is freed prior to Hermione being unpetrified and the feast where Gryffindor wins the Hogwarts cup.

I have not finished going through Prisoner of Azkaban. I probably won't, either, since I don't think I care enough.

Overall:

Yes, WB lifted the Lexicon's timeline calculations and some phrasings for the official DVD-ROM timelines. This must be true, given the correspondence in errors between the two timelines, as well as the matching descriptive language seen on a few occasions.

However, while this might well qualify as plagiarism, I doubt it even approaches copyright infringement. WB did not duplicate the Lexicon's layout-- which, since the Master Timeline follows a standard timeline format and the day calendars look like calendars with information written in the squares, aren't copyrightable anyway.

Much of the text in the Lexicon's timelines and day calendars is directly lifted or paraphrased from Rowling's books, and this is not indicated with quotes and exact citations. The calculations (even when there are errors) are not copyrightable. Most can be independently verified from information clearly available in the text. So, what's there to copyright? Really?

Therefore, however upset SVA may be about the lifted timelines, I really doubt he's got much legal standing in objecting to their use, and it still has absolutely nothing to do with whether the Lexicon can legally be published (probably not).

That stupid Lexicon timeline thing.

2007-11-07T01:22:08Z

Okay. So, this is the only issue that interests me in the Lexicon lawsuit, and, rather than babble on f_w endlessly about it, I'm going to put it here. Scroll on by if you don't care (wise!).

So, RDR books has indicated on their website which timeline they believe to be copied. Specifically, the timeline at issue is the day calendar for book one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The reason they believe the timeline is copied is because the date of Harry's first visit to Hagrid's hut is given as September 7 on the official timeline, when it should clearly be September 6, according to the book. And the September 7 error was one that appeared on the HP Lexicon site until a revision, as noted on the timeline page. (And, actually, let's just link in the Wayback machine to the old timeline with the error as well, shall we?)

The Official Timeline of Hogwarts (CS/dvd) matches this timeline almost exactly. Events which are actually listed on that timeline are indicated on this calendar in red. There is one other adjustment which must be made in order to make the calendar agree with the books: September 7 is listed on the Official Timeline as being when Harry and Ron visit Hagrid in his hut. This was an error which also appeared on this calendar until my most recent revision. Curiously, the DVD timeline happened to reproduce the error from the Lexicon timeline. At any rate, the 7th is a Saturday, while the book states that they visited Hagrid on the afternoon of the Friday of their first week. This calendar now places that visit on Friday, September 6, which is correct.

Aha! So clearly this means something.

Except for the part where it doesn't.

Why? Skip up a couple of paragraphs. It is noted there that the calendar for 1991 (apparently the proper year, according to the DVDs) doesn't match up with the book's calendar. Harry's birthday is stated to be on a Tuesday, when it should actually be a Wednesday in 1991:

Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday -- and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television -- then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -- last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day. (Chapter 3)

So they take out a day, to make July 31 fall on a Tuesday, then add in a day afterward. They have to do this, you see, or September 1 (when Harry is to go to King's Cross, according to McGonagall's letter in Chapter 4) would be a Saturday. This makes "the next day" a Sunday, and the book indicates that:

Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes. (Chapter 8)

And obviously that can't be right, because there wouldn't be classes on Sunday! Ha! So, clearly, the extra day needs to be added to shift September 1 to a Sunday (while keeping Harry's birthday on Tuesday), and, lo, this makes the 6th a Friday, when Harry has the afternoon free, and is invited to tea with Hagrid. The Lexicon foolishly had an error in previous versions of the timeline, indicating that this was the 7th, which appeared on the DVD timelines, and so..., since it doesn't say the 6th, they obviously copied!

The problem here is that there's another entirely plausible way that the visit to Hagrid could fall on September 7: and that's if September 7 is a Friday.

This is precisely what happens if you have Harry's birthday remain on July 31 (a Tuesday), and then, instead of adding another day into the calendar to make it match up to 1991, simply ignore that the book claims classes start on "the next day" after September 1 (a Saturday). Instead, assume they start September 3, or assume there are classes on Sunday. Then the first Friday after the start of classes is indeed September 7.

Now, if SVA can show the wording on his timeline is entirely the same as that used on the DVDs, he may have something. (ETA: Or, that other events occurring on specified days of the week are shifted by a day in the DVD timeline from the September 7 Hagrid tea event, I suppose.) But the date issue, when the Lexicon timeline adds and subtracts a day to make it match up with the 1991 calendar? I don't think that's much of an argument that the DVD timeline is copied.

ETA2: (Oh, God! I'm turning into Cleolinda!) Well, I have continued working through the official timeline vs. Lexicon timelines/day calendars. By doing my own calculations based on the information in the books, I've produced my own timelines.

In essence, WB must have used the Lexicon's timelines, because the Lexicon is not so good at arithmetic. Because WB duplicates several of the Lexicon's errors (I have a list), they almost certainly did use the timelines.

Even so, however, that's not a problem, because you can't copyright arithmetic (even bad arithmetic). Anyone and everyone is free to use the Lexicon's date calculations; they sure as hell can't copyright them.

So, next point: expression. In many cases, the text on the two timelines matches or nearly matches... but, in nearly all of them, the Lexicon's text is an exact copy of the text in Rowling's books, or, at best, a paraphrase of the book text using several words of Rowling's unique expression... so the text on the Lexicon's timeline is plagiarized anyway, and they can hardly scream if the copyright and/or trademark holder makes use of it. In a few cases, the Lexicon's expression is distinctly different from that used in the books and matches portions of the expression used in the WB timeline.

But, since the Lexicon can't copyright the timelines, we can find those 2-3 instances of likely plagiarism icky, but that's pretty much it. If SVA thinks that allows him to sue for copyright infringement, he is a complete moron.

Layout: WB used a few dates from the timelines as a framework for people to view video clips from the movies, and this bears no resemblance to the layout used by the Lexicon.

In short, I can't imagine there's anything remotely actionable here. The use of the Lexicon's arithmetic is funny (considering the errors) but not objectionable. The few instances of plagiarism by WB are icky, and I don't have to like them.

I should also say: the reason this interests me is because I am interested in plagiarism. The copyright infringement suit by JKR/WB does not interest me, because I find it very hard to imagine RDR/SVA publishing anything that bears the remotest resemblance to the HP Lexicon that doesn't constitute copyright infringement, so I don't think there's much to discuss there.

The dreaded icon meme, from puipui

2007-10-19T22:07:36Z

And when I said my icons weren't interesting? I totally meant that.

Since you said you picked things where you didn't recognize the bases, expect more detail on that.

User pics - we use them, we love them, and love to admire others'. Let's dig a little bit deeper into this...

Comment on this post. I will choose seven userpics from your profile and you will explain what they mean and why you are using them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so others can play along.

Out of my fandom - I commented (actually in the June Diamanti vs. Ataniell wank) about needing an "Out of my fandom" icon. This is a somewhat embarrassing memory, actually, given it's one of the few times I might possibly have taken Ataniell's side. She tricked me! I swear! nekoneko was kind enough to let me swipe it, which I was very eager to do.

The base image is from the Highlander episode "Comes a Horseman." This is from one of the Bronze Age flashbacks, wherein Cassandra "wakes up" from being dead and asks where her people are. Methos points at a rather garish display of skulls and bones (thus, the pointing finger). A friend of mine from high school shared an apartment with me over the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college. She was very into Highlander (and Renegade... and Nelson, actually) because she had this thing for men with long hair. I think they might have been playing reruns of season 3 at that point, soon to launch into season 4? (ETA: Weird; IMDb indicates it must have been between season 2 & 3. I thought it was later, but it couldn't have been.) I kept watching Highlander, but I ran in horror from the rest.

"Comes a Horseman" and "Revelation 6:8" are my favorite episodes of Highlander. They are what prompted me to buy all six seasons of Highlander on videotape, then later on DVD. I've seen these episodes many, many times, and I can quote the dialogue. I cringe at the exciting "double quickening" scene every damned time. Also, I own quite a lot of Highlander ~~Free Gifts With Purchase!~~ junk.

Bitch of the Day - Said puipui: Please tell me this was an actual contest that you won. Because that would be beautiful.

Sadly, no. Well, yes. Sort of. Once upon a time, there was a troll journal, decreeing people on LiveJournal bitches of the day. I, myself, am too obscure for troll journals to bother with. However, esclaramonde (Principessa) isn't, and she was "Bitch of the Day" on May 14th. Someone on LJ made all of the "bitches" icons. I saw her use it on the_hms_stfu and begged it off her. May 14th is my birthday. I never remember to use the icon on my birthday, mind you.

Go down with the ship - Snagged from a large batch of Firefly icons created by fadeto at LJ; base image is from "Out of Gas," my favorite episode. A part breaks in Serenity; venting to clear the resulting fire eliminates most of the air. The ship is stranded in the middle of nowhere, and the rest of the crew is eventually sent off to try to get help. Mal stays in case someone responds to their distress signal. The episode begins with Mal collapsing in the cargo bay, and you spend the episode in a combination of flashbacks to how all of the crew joined Serenity (and how exactly the disaster occurred).

Slasher H/G - This is from a batch of wank-related icons slackerbitch made, and I believe it's from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It dates from somewhere near the tail end? (ha) in the long series of Harmonian wanks. The infamous Lissy said, "G/H smells a bit too much like something out of Hostel or Saw and Saw II. You know, the ones who do the choppin'. YUCK!" Of course it makes no sense. It's Lissy. It was well after I'd lost interest in the Harmonians, but I liked the icon.

Evil Green - Made by escalaramonde (Principessa). Green is my favorite color. Also Satan's.

Bunny naga - I think Bunny Naga is actually official art, believe it or not. I grabbed it mostly because it amused me, though.
Bunny Naga
See also: Bunny Lina & Bunny Naga, though I'm less convinced that's official.
And there was always the episode where Zel wore the bunny costume...

Potterdammerung - What a disappointment the Potterdammerung turned out to be. This was a protest icon created by the moderator (underage, so she was never personally wanked) of the "its_a_fake" LJ community.

They were absolutely convinced that "the carpet book" was fake, and dragged up margin size, endpaper colors, dustjacket printing, and anything else they could think of to prove they were right.

Of course, the most hated portion of the book was the epilogue, of which the last sentence is "All is well." Thus, the icon.

I snagged it in the hopes that it would prove an apt description of the state of HP fandom after the book release.

*Sigh*

ETA: As for why I'm using them, well, it could be noted that I almost always use my default, Alert (Zelas), Pensive (Dolphin), Shiny!, or
facepalm.

Yes, I have noticed the wiki is wacky.

2007-10-10T00:29:35Z

Woe... on the upside, this means no spambots to ban for a little while. Yay?

In an attempt to justify the space taken up by this post:
I like the new JF code quite a bit, but I've noticed there's an extra / on the end of communities sometimes. So, for example, if I click on a poster's username on my friendslist, I go to their journal. However, for fandom_wank, I see www.journalfen.net/users/fandom_wank in the browser's status bar. If I click on it, it tries to take me to www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank// (the same thing happens if I am logged in as a community and click on "Recent" in the navigation bar, which is how I first noticed this).

I've found the same problem with links in memories. Memories from individual user's journals take me to the correct post; memories from communities add an extra slash in before the post number.

I think the extra slash is added during the redirect from www.journalfen.net/users/[community name] (and www.journalfen.net/~[community name]) to www.journalfen.net/community/[community name], because the same thing happens if I type the "users" (and ~) version of the community name directly into my browser.

It's easy enough to work around, of course, but it's a bit odd. ~~I might possibly have panicked the first time-- OMG! What do you mean the post doesn't exist???~~

Happy Birthday, puipui!

2007-09-26T05:31:37Z

I can tell this is going to be a confusing day for us all.

From the "actually funny otf_wank posts" file

2007-09-25T05:34:54Z

We bring you Demonboy.

All of the posts on otf_wank should now be categorized in memories-- which isn't to say some of the categories shouldn't be collapsed.

WTF?

2007-09-21T19:02:38Z

Brought to you by wank_report:

http://www.chelseaquinnyarbro.net/

Not posting it on otf_w, because it's "WHAT?" not "wank."

Okay, I don't post a lot of these memes...

2007-09-20T18:27:44Z

... but this one amused me.

Take the quiz at dicepool.com

No use trying to fight it, you're an eight-sided die, a d8. A fine example of simple elegance, the d8 is one of the least appreciated types of dice, and is often neglected. You are known to be quiet and shy, outward traits that conceal viscous sarcasm and mean wit. You are very smart, yet wise enough to hide your intelligence the quicker they found out how smart you are, the sooner they'll put you to work, which is something you can do without. People call you dark and pessimistic, or moody and cynical. You find little point in arguing.

It gets me! It really, really gets me! (Well, except the part where it wrote "viscous" instead of "vicious" and expected me not to notice.)

What interests me about the fights in fandom_lounge...

2007-09-07T16:58:43Z

If we strip them down, these fights have gone like this:

post -> Warning that the post may not get the desired response -> IS IT AGAINST THE RULES? -> Statement that it would get a better response in a different community -> IS IT AGAINST THE RULES? BECAUSE THE RULES DON'T SAY IT IS, SO STFU. AND YOU'RE NOT A MOD. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME ANYTHING. -> flamewar

The operative point is not that much of anything is technically against the rules (including, for example, staroverthebay's cat posts). Because, obviously, there aren't a lot of rules in fandom_lounge.

It's just that the environment in other communities tends to be more welcoming to certain sorts of posts. On fandom_discuss, you're not (simplified) allowed to derail the discussion in comments-- which everyone does in fandom_lounge all the time. In shywank, people are just not going to be as snarky.

Actually, no one ever starts out saying that the post is against the rules of fandom_lounge. I'm curious if the flamewar would erupt if people didn't immediately become defensive about what's in the rules/community info.

Happy early (in my time zone) birthday, Sep.

2007-09-05T06:36:11Z

Aha! At last I understand: disabling the wiki was your first step toward world domination.

(Kidding. Happy birthday anyway.)

Swiped from wank_report

2007-08-12T08:17:44Z

An interesting account of Brad's crusade to defend fandom from the evils of fandom_wank!

Also, we apparently deleted the wiki because she linked to it sometime. So good to know. Can we blame her for all the other times it's gone down, too?

That was quick.

2007-08-12T06:59:56Z

I thought it would take a few more days for the implosion to hit.

Anyway, like I said on wankitywank, I was around when AOL hit usenet. I'd been around on usenet for a bit over six months at the time, as I recall. And, yeah, I lurked. A lot. The earliest post of mine I can find in a quick google search was dated 8/7/93-- argument on abortion (Note: I don't entirely trust the google search).

I remember the usenet culture being a lot like F_W culture, probably meaner (you don't see STFUADFM with the same regularity on F_W-- though the sentiment is definitely there). The AOL influx was huge; it didn't really matter if the majority of AOLers lurked, there were so damned many of them that even a small proportion of them posting increased volume. It wasn't helped by the fact that for the first day or so, there was a bug that made every AOLer's post duplicate four times. (I'm always bewildered that no one else mentions that.) I also had the joy of seeing the Canter and Siegel Green Card posts-- well, mostly the responses flaming the Green Card posts.

Never occurred to me at the time that these would be great historic landmarks. They were just damned irritating.

Personally, I like things more rough-and-tumble, which is why I like it over here. I liked usenet, too. I abandoned it back in '95 (last post of mine I can find is March 23, 1995), when I realized I could spend hours paging through groups, reading debates, and bitching about how stupid people were, and I would never get a damned thing done.

Not much has changed in that regard.

I've not had high hopes that people migrating over from LJ was going to go smoothly. Now, of course, it could... but it probably involves the creation of spaces that are more similar to those on LJ. I suspect we don't really want to give up our safe spaces for snark.

And the f_w wiki is down.

2007-08-09T00:20:57Z

No one else with wiki articles had better change his/her JF username, is all I'm saying.